“It doesn’t hurt…much.”

“Leo’s car’s blocked in by the fire trucks,” I tell him. “I’ve been trying to get him to have the paramedics look at it.”

“Take my car.” Mr. Nash gives me his keys. I give him mine. “It’s parked around the corner on Third. I’ll stay here and talk to the police, see if I can’t get them to tell me anything.” Mr. Nash heads for an officer who looks like he’s in charge.

I can tell Leo wants to protest, but I grip his arm and tow him toward the car. I can’t believe someone blew up the agency office. We have to be getting close for him to do something so desperate. Thank goodness I’m militant about my backup and he didn’t succeed in destroying my files on Beau’s case. Something nags at me as we squeeze through the crowd. There’s something familiar about this scene, reminding me of the scene in front of Cassandra’s house after her body was discovered—the chaos, the crowd, the emergency vehicles.

Out of the corner of my eye I catch a familiar face, gazing up at the burning building. I change direction, causing Leo to stumble to make the adjustment.

“Dylan?”

He blinks, clearly surprised to see me. “I heard about the explosion on the news.” Grabbing me, he wraps me in a hard hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I was worried when they said it was the agency’s building.”

I’m too stunned to do anything but let him hold me.

Behind me I can practically feel Leo’s irritation. “Hey, get off her.”

Dylan lets me go and looks past me to Leo. “Who are you?”

“Her boyfriend.”

“Her—” Dylan starts.

“He’s something, but not my boyfriend. Dylan Newman, Leo Nash. Leo, Dylan. Leo’s dad owns the agency. He’s helping me with Beau’s case for the summer.”

The guys shake hands, sizing each other up. If Leo was suspicious of Dylan before, that’s nothing compared to how he’s eyeing my brother’s friend right now.

“I’m sorry about your dad’s agency,” Dylan says, glancing up at the fully engulfed building.

“You really just came down here to see about Cora?”

Dylan’s gaze swings back to Leo. He doesn’t seem to like Leo any more than Leo likes him. “What business is it of yours?”

“Are you sure you didn’t just come down here to check out your handiwork?” Leo jabs a thumb toward the fire.

“What? You think I set that fire?”

“No,” I tell Dylan. “We don’t. Thanks for coming down to check on me. We’ve got to go.” I put my arm through Leo’s and drag him toward the car. “I’ll call you later.”

“The hell you will,” Leo mumbles, giving Dylan a backward glare.

“Not this crap again.”

“Come on. He’s a suspect, Cora. And he’s got the Forbidden Little Sister thing for you, whether you want to admit it or not.”

“What? That’s not a thing.”

“Ah, yeah, it is. He’s already ticked the Best Friend’s Girl thing off his list. You’re next.”

“No way. Even if I thought for a moment he had feelings for me he wouldn’t get far. I don’t think of him that way.”

“I bet Cassandra said the same thing at one point and he ended up banging her.”

I jerk to a halt. “He did not bang Cassandra. They just went out a few times.”

“Right. I’ve seen pictures of Cassandra. She was beautiful. There’s no way he didn’t try to get with her.”

“He might’ve tried, but that doesn’t mean he succeeded.”

“Zelda didn’t say it in so many words, but the gist I got was that ol’ Dylan back there slept over. A lot.” He makes air quotes around slept over.

“No.”

“You might think you know Dylan, but I know guys. And guys like sex. They especially like sex with hot chicks. You and Cassandra are definitely hot. I’m telling you he wants you.”

“You’re imagining things. He’s never made a single move toward me.”

“He’s working up to it with all that fake worry and touching. Lots of hugs and kisses. I’d put money on him making a move the next time you see him. If not, then he for sure will the very next time he sees you. You can also expect a phone call from him tomorrow.”

“Are you sure the pain hasn’t addled your brain?”

“My brain’s not addled.” We arrive at his dad’s car. He hits the unlock button on the remote and hands me the keys. “And we’re going to work out what exactly that something I am to you is.”

He climbs in the car, leaving me to sputter expletives at no one.

Chapter 26 Leo

My finger was only dislocated, no broken bones or torn tendons. The doctor said I was lucky. Right now the only thing I feel lucky about is that the pain meds haven’t worn off all the way yet and Cora is lying next to me in bed. She’s draped across my chest, one of her legs hooks over mine, and her arm is banded around me. I can’t move. I don’t care. She’s warm and good-smelling, with all of her soft parts pressed against me. She rejected my delirious half-pain, half-pain-meds attempt at seduction last night. I would’ve been shit anyway, so she saved me the humiliation.

This morning is a whole other story. There’s a throbbing more incessant than in my finger. She shifts, grazing her thigh across my rock-hard dick. I don’t know if it’s pleasure or pain or some perverse in-between that makes me want to roll her over, part her legs, and drive into her. Or at least play with her a little. I smooth my good hand up her thigh, raising her nightgown. Her skin is soft. I could touch her all day. The edge of her panties is little barrier. I slip a finger under, then another, circling around the edge of the fabric to where she’s hot and…wet. Holy shit. Sliding a finger into her, I stroke through her slickness.

She stirs. This time I know rubbing her leg across my dick is anything but accidental.

“You’re sure you’re up for this?” she asks, her voice still heavy with sleep. “Your finger.”

“Right now I can’t feel anything except what I’m doing to you and what you’re doing to me.” I turn us so I can look down at her. “Are you up for this?”

She widens her legs, giving me better access. “Mmm, I’m getting there.”

Staring down into her amazing blue eyes, I can’t believe what a lucky bastard I am. She’s warm and willing, and in this moment…mine. But she’s made it clear that I’ll get only a few of these moments and that’s it. There is nothing for us beyond this summer.

I kiss her, not giving a shit that my mouth reeks of morning breath or that my body probably stinks just as bad after running down the stairs carrying her. I want her. I want her to want me. Most of all I want her to want a future with me beyond September, beyond Beau’s case. I put everything I’ve got into making love to her. I use all of my tricks. She’s panting, practically begging me for release, but I won’t give it to her. I can feel her annoyance building right along with her need.

She sits up so I can pull her plain cotton nightgown over her head. It floats down onto the bed next to us. She’s naked, looking up at me like I’m everything she needs. But I know I’m not. I can make her come a thousand times in a thousand ways and it won’t change a damn thing between us.

She fists the front of my T-shirt and drags me down on top of her. I’m so fucking hard for her I can hardly breathe. The scent of her arousal permeates the air around us. I take her in with each inhale. She’s inside me the way my body demands to be inside her, to join with hers. I know what she likes now. I know how to make her beg. I try to make her as hot for me as I am for her, but no matter what I do to her I know she never will be.

She’s close. So damn close. Her head falls back, her lips part. She’s half moaning, half panting, and she’s so goddamned beautiful it makes the backs of my eyes sting. I push her over the edge with my mouth, just the way she likes it. I watch in amazement as her orgasm slams into her. Her whole body goes taut. She grips the sheets, twisting them as she cries out. I pump my dick once, twice. It takes nothing for me to come with her, spilling onto her stomach on a barely suppressed growl.